Counterculture landed here in the 1960s and never left. Joshua Tree is a high desert town with a lime-green photo booth housing the World Famous Crochet Museum, a 1946 movie set that became a legendary honky-tonk, and the kind of energy vortex reputation that draws artists and seekers. U2 named an album after it. The downtown strip along Highway 62 is antique shops, galleries, and Wild West storefronts. Ten minutes to the park's west entrance. No food inside the park, so the town exists partly to feed you before and after. It does that well.
Where to Stay
AutoCamp Joshua Tree
Airstream trailers and cabins in the high desert. 47 custom-designed units with chic interiors, kitchenettes, and private bathrooms. Some have outdoor showers. Pool, fire pits, yoga classes, live music by the campfire. Ten minutes from the park entrance. Glamping done right.
Joshua Tree Inn
Hacienda-style inn built in 1950. Six miles from the park. The kind of place desert rats and musicians have been crashing at for decades. Gram Parsons died here in 1973, which either adds to the mystique or doesn't, depending on you.
Where to Eat
Pappy & Harriet's Pioneertown Palace
Honky-tonk BBQ in a building that was a fake cantina for Western films, then an outlaw biker bar, now a legendary live music venue. Paul McCartney, Arctic Monkeys, Robert Plant have all played here. Monday open-mic nights pull serious talent. The mesquite-grilled meat is the real thing. Fifteen minutes from Joshua Tree in Pioneertown. Worth the drive.
La Copine
Best food in the High Desert, in the middle of nowhere. Daytime only, 11am to 4pm. Small menu that rotates: shrimp rolls, steak sandwiches, duck confit. More upscale than anything else around here. Worth the extra drive to Flamingo Heights.
Crossroads Cafe
Classic roadside diner near the park entrance. Solid food any time of day, but breakfast is the move. Huevos rancheros before a hike. The kind of place you want after eight miles of trail.
Where to Drink
Pappy & Harriet's Pioneertown Palace
The bar is as good as the BBQ and the music. Cheap beer, good whiskey, a stage that's hosted legends. Billboard named it one of the top ten hidden gem music venues in the country.
Joshua Tree Saloon
The in-town option when Pioneertown feels too far. Old West aesthetic, floor-to-ceiling memorabilia, solid burger, good beer selection. Been the local watering hole for decades.
Getting Around
Car needed? Essential
You need a car. The town stretches along Highway 62, and the park has no shuttle system. Pioneertown is 15 minutes north. Stock up on food and water in town before entering the park.
Beyond the Park
Joshua Tree's weirdness extends well past the park boundary.
World Famous Crochet Museum
A lime-green former photo booth housing hundreds of crocheted animals. Occupancy: two. Founded by artist Shari Elf in 2006. Free, open 24/7. Takes five minutes. Absolutely worth stopping. This is Joshua Tree distilled.
Pioneertown
A Western movie set built in 1946 by Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, and the Sons of the Pioneers. Unlike most sets, these aren't facades. Real buildings, now a real town. Main Street is on the National Register of Historic Places. Home to Pappy & Harriet's and Red Dog Saloon.
Noah Purifoy Desert Art Museum
Ten acres of outdoor sculptures and assemblages made from found materials by artist Noah Purifoy. Free, open sunrise to sunset. Strange, sun-bleached, and worth wandering.
Pro Tips
- No food or water inside the park. Stock up in town before you enter.
- La Copine closes at 4pm. Plan your hike around their hours if you want the best meal in the desert.
- Pappy & Harriet's gets crowded. Arrive early on weekends or expect a wait.
- The World Famous Crochet Museum is open 24/7. Stop on your way to a sunrise hike.